ADDITIVE NODES

At The New State of Materials, architectural designer Sina Lüder presents Additive Nodes, a collaborative initiative with Ginger Additive, an Italian-based company specialising in industrial pellet 3D printers, and Polymaker, a Dutch-based manufacturer of high-quality 3D printing materials. The project explores how 3D-printed connection systems can enable innovative, adaptable, and expressive approaches to construction.

The nodes are produced using PolyCore™ PETG-1312, a glass fiber-reinforced material selected for its high structural performance, including strong warping resistance and stiffness. Manufactured on large-scale systems by Ginger Additive, the nodes ensure the reliability required for complex architectural applications. 

The project follows a strict circular and zero-waste philosophy. In addition to being fully demountable, the nodes are entirely recyclable: at the end of their lifecycle, they can be shredded and reprocessed into new components. This closed-loop approach transforms the structural joint into a visible, sustainable, and expressive architectural element.

Additive Nodes was originally designed for the Ginger Pavilion, a reversible thermal envelope that defines a conditioned workspace within an industrial hall, offering a low-cost alternative to insulating the entire building by creating a localized environment.

The envelope is fully demountable and conceived as a plug-in system. The pavilion’s geometry is determined by the dimensions of reclaimed polycarbonate panels, embedding material reuse as a primary design constraint.